Thai country singer Hai Apapon from Nakhon Sawan gave an interview after attending a blessing ceremony for the series "Mon Ruk Huk E-Lee" on July 13, 2025, at the rooftop of the sixth floor of the PHENIX Pratunam project. She responded to the shocking nightclub fire that occurred the previous night, revealing that the venue had previously contacted her to perform and was scheduled to transfer a deposit, but the tragedy occurred before the arrangement could be finalized. She emphasized that going forward, her team will survey fire exits and safety measures at every venue before she performs, and urged business owners to prioritize customer safety above everything else.

Meanwhile, Hai Apapon also shared a surprising story about being contacted by an unknown man who asked to buy undergarments from her for his collection, prompting her to block him immediately.

When asked about her level of concern as a performer who must work in such venues, she responded: "I'm really heartbroken. First, I want to express my condolences to the families of those who died, and send strength to the dozens of red and yellow case patients. I never wanted this to happen. When I saw the news, I thought about myself—I have so many nightclub gigs now. In the past, we may have overlooked checking where the fire exits are. When something happens, I think about it too. Sometimes there's a fifth floor, you go in and there's just a small opening, and people get crammed in like that. I ask myself: if a fire broke out, I definitely wouldn't survive. From now on, I need someone to check these things—if an incident like this happens, people can escape on their own, and they should tell me which way to go. We need people to survey beforehand so everyone can get out alive. I don't want this kind of thing to happen, but who could have predicted how last night went? And I heard it wasn't from a gas explosion—it was from a sound system exploding. Normally at every venue the sound system isn't great anyway, there's always that crackling noise. We have the feeling the sound equipment will fail. It's old."

When asked if this venue had indeed previously contacted her for a booking, she said: "Yes, they contacted me. They were going to transfer the deposit on July 16, and my slot was supposed to be September 24 if I remember correctly, but it didn't happen. I consider that lucky. Every nightclub I go to is actually quite dangerous in terms of exits—they're quite difficult to navigate because the owners are worried that customers will sneak out without paying, so they make the entrances small to cram people in. Only two people can fit through at a time, not three, because it's so narrow. If an incident like this happens, it becomes very hard to get out."

When asked her view on why some business owners still operate this way, noting that some have argued owners could simply charge upfront instead of collecting payment later, she replied: "That's true, but there are pre-orders and orders placed without immediate payment. Both happen. But actually, that's a really good idea. Once ordered, they could just hand it over right then and there or whatever, because then customers would be safe too. I'm concerned about both the business owners and the customers."

When asked if she had experienced anything like this in her life before, she said: "An incident like this? But I've always been worried about this because I never thought that at over 50 years old I'd end up working in nightclubs. Most of my career I've done outdoor concert tours, temple events, ordination ceremonies, wedding receptions, new house ceremonies, hair-shaving ceremonies, things like that. Nightclub work was quite rare. But after coming back, it turned out I had to go work with my band in nightclubs."

Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Suthummaphand unveiled the 'Thai Helping Thai Franchise Plus' program, which aims to reduce living costs while boosting household incomes through franchising opportunities. The initiative combines support from the Commerce Ministry, the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP), financial institutions, and the private sector to lower startup investment costs and give small entrepreneurs immediate access to capital, retail locations, and customer bases.

The program offers four key measures: the state covers 50% of franchise package fees (capped at 10,000 baht for franchises valued up to 100,000 baht); credit support from SME D Bank, Krung Thai Bank, and Government Savings Bank with CMSB guarantees at an average interest rate of approximately 3%; access to over 2,000 retail spaces in Lotus and Makro branches nationwide plus over 100 Thai fresh market locations, with six months of rent waived; and enrollment in the 'Thai Helping Thai Plus 60/40' scheme to boost sales from day one.

OSMEP has allocated 100 million baht to support the program, aiming to assist approximately 10,000 franchise buyers or families. The government has curated over 100 standard franchise brands with investment values not exceeding 100,000 baht. Interested applicants can explore franchise packages and apply through the website thaihelpthaifranchisor.dbd.go.th or the Line OA @franchisedbdplus.

Bass musician Anon Prasert, 37, arrived at the fire scene on July 13, 2025, to collect his bass effect equipment, which was partially destroyed. He reported that during the performance, he suddenly smelled burning and saw sparks falling to the floor, prompting him to call friends and immediately run from the venue. As he exited the front, he heard one loud explosion followed by a strong gas smell.

After escaping, Prasert filmed video on his phone, shocked by what had happened—his first brush with death during a live performance. He expressed deep sadness, having just been on stage talking with the band when everything erupted in chaos. He grieved for a bandmate who died.

Regarding bandmate Din, Prasert received word from friends that he is now reachable and still undergoing hospital treatment, contradicting earlier reports of his death. He plans to visit Din in the hospital.

Prasert said he felt devastated by the incident, which killed multiple people including 11 band members who had come to perform. He requested a break from live performances due to emotional distress.

Prasert also revealed that the owner or partner confirmed being in the venue during the fire and removed his shirt and pants to help extinguish flames for customers. The owner then ran outside in pain. As of Prasert's statement, no one had contacted him about damages or medical costs, as he had left around 5 a.m. and was questioned by Phaholyothin police station later that evening.

Prasert noted that bandmate Kwang, a keyboard player and air force officer, was planning to quit music at month's end, but the fire has left him without the will to perform, saying his mental state is not strong enough.

Guitar player Maitri from the band disclosed that he had performed at the venue for years and noted recurring electrical problems—lights flickering and cutting out frequently. However, he deferred questions about maintenance to the owner. He described the owner as a kind-hearted, well-intentioned person who cared for staff and was strict about security, prohibiting weapons and requiring smoking to occur outside the venue.

On the night of the fire, with approximately 100 customers in the venue, Maitri detected a burning smell during the set. Soon after, smoke appeared from above, the electrical system short-circuited, and people screamed. He quickly exited before the major fire erupted, shocked that band members suffered injuries and death. He acknowledged the inherent risk in his profession, noting that performers never know the safety conditions of each venue they work.

The Finance Ministry is reforming civil servant benefits to control healthcare costs that have reached 90 billion baht per year, aiming to plug fraud and study supplementary insurance models while preserving existing employees' rights. Comptroller General Patricia Mongkolvnich stated that proposed reforms under consideration by Deputy Prime Ministers Ekniti Nitithanprayutsapakul and Pakorn Nilpraphan, and other senior officials, will only affect newly hired civil servants and will not alter current employees' pensions or benefits. "Those already signed onto contracts will see no changes whatsoever," she said, adding that various new models for incoming staff are still being studied and data collected.

Current healthcare benefits cover approximately 5 million people, including civil servants and their families, at an annual cost of 90 billion baht. The ministry is consulting on four main issues: requiring hospitals to bill the Comptroller General's Department directly; allowing families to opt out of government coverage; penalizing entire households if one member commits fraud; and enforcing transparency in hospital drug orders. The reforms are designed as short-term solutions, particularly targeting fraud, which has cost an estimated 250 million baht over ten years—much of it from family members reselling prescribed medications.

Fraud detection is hampered by insufficient staffing: only six officials nationwide review cases despite 35 million transactions annually. Technology systems are being explored to help identify fraudulent patterns and usage trends for drug price negotiations. While replacing the current system entirely with insurance is considered difficult, officials are examining whether supplementary insurance could work for new hires or how to incorporate preventive measures and fiscal support to encourage personal health management rather than relying solely on treatment coverage.

On July 13, 2026 at 1:30 p.m., Nualprann Lamsum, president of the Football Association of Thailand, presided over the board's 6th meeting of 2026 held online at FA Thailand headquarters in Huamark. The meeting's key agenda was to appoint a board member to fill a vacant position, with approval given to appoint Adisak Panjcharoenvaragul as replacement for resigned member Thanawat Nitiakanchana.

Adisak holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Oklahoma Christian University of Science and Arts, USA, and is highly experienced in football club administration. He served as chairman of Ayutthaya FC from 2009–2016, then Ayutthaya Warriors from 2016–2017. Since 2017 to the present, he has been chairman of Ayutthaya United, leading the club to make history by achieving promotion to Thai League 1 for the first time in 2025. Last season, the club finished 10th in the Thai League 1 standings.

The meeting also approved regulations governing football competition management, disciplinary rules of conduct, and match official procedures for the 2026/27 season, to be enforced on www.fathailand.org before the professional football league's 2026/27 season kicks off.

The board voted to suspend Egypt-Thai Company Limited's membership in the Football Association of Thailand. The disciplinary committee found that Egypt-Thai Company Limited, which operated EGY Thai FC and later renamed it Pharaoh Phetchaburi United, violated the association's charter section 16 regarding member duties (16.1.1) and breached regulations for the Thailand Semi-Pro League. The company withdrew its team mid-season without competing, causing overall damage to competition management. The committee recommended the membership be revoked at the next general assembly.

The next board meeting will be held on August 3, 2026.